Interns win Cannes Lions award for poop ad

What’s more unlikely? Interns winning gold at the Cannes Lions, or a joke about poop winning the coveted award?

This year seems to be one of unlikely miracles.

Because both of those things happen to be true.

A Gold Lion is something one would consider a career highlight in the world of advertising and marketing.

Creative pair Rag Brahmbhatt and Nidhi Shah, who are students at Miami Ad School, said they were on the second day of their internship at Serviceplan in Hamburg, when they came up with the idea that went on to win them that award.

Thinking back on my internship now, I can’t imagine how it would have felt to have my work internationally recognised. Let alone winning one of the most prestigious awards in the industry today.

Maybe that means I just wasn’t that good.

Not Brahmbhatt and Shah, good anyway. The pair not only made some killer creative.

They took initiative and seized an opportunity.

As I said, it was day TWO of their internship when they heard Michael Wilk, Global Head of Art at Serviceplan Group, mention the Macrogol Hexal Brief.

For those who don’t know, Macrogol Hexal is a laxative treatment for constipation.

According to AdAge, the pair immediately got to work brainstorming how to promote the product.

'After a small discussion between us, we reluctantly pitched a poop joke inspired by the "popular British voice" from nature documentaries,' said Brahmbhatt. 'The concept was immediately well loved by Till Diestel [Chief Creative Officer of Serviceplan Germany], and we were asked to prepare the first draft of the script.'

They then spent two weeks writing poop jokes.

The client approved four spots, which Brahmbhatt and Shah admit they were stoked with. And the pair expected it to end there.

'It certainly helped to break the ice at our new agency,' said Shah. 'For us, this news was already unexpected, and we thought it would be the end of it,' said Brahmbhatt.

Little did they know they were about to win not just a Lion, but a Gold Lion.

They would also be the ones walking up on stage, in Paris, to accept the award.

There, the packed audience got to watch the spot they'd created. Of course, this was a dream come true for any creative, and something almost inconceivable for fresh interns.

The pair hopes their story encourages other interns and junior marketers to feel confident as creatives and be proud of their abilities.

'It means a lot to us to get this recognition from the industry where funny ideas are welcomed, and even awarded,' said Brahmbhatt.

'We hope this story makes us reach the agencies we really love, land us a job, and inspires junior creatives from around the world to tell their ideas, without hesitation, no matter how big the stage is.'

The takeaway? An internship is essentially an extended interview, so make it count.

So if you’re a young creative interning in the industry, here are three things you can do to impress your agency:

• Show initiative. Brahmbhatt and Shah immediately got to work upon hearing a mention of a brief. With an internship, work can be spotty. Some days are packed, and some are a lot slower. I cannot stress enough the importance of putting your best foot forward and doing your best work, no matter what.

• Balance confidence and humility. Even though Brahmbhatt and Shah were reluctant to pitch their poop joke, imagine what they would have missed out on if they were too shy to do so. Know when to you have something to add, but don’t be an arrogant asshole. You’re there to learn.

• Assess what’s right for you. Use your internship to ask questions. Look for leaders you respect who have a clear mission, direction, and values. Pay attention to their processes, conflict management, and whether you’ll have the opportunity for influence.

Being an intern can be scary, and you want to secure your future as soon as possible. But there’s no rush. Make sure it’s an organization with the right ingredients, in which you will thrive!

-Sophie, Writer